Tree saplings planted late last year in Bilton Fields to commemorate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee were damaged in the summer during mowing of the field.
All 2000 tree saplings were replaced on Thursday, 12 December 2013.
Harrogate Borough Council apologised to the Bilton Grange Conservation Group, who do a tremendous amount of good work in the Bilton Grange area, when this error occurred and promised that all the saplings would be replaced in December this year, which is within the normal tree planting season.
Fifty volunteers replanted the saplings last week including representatives from the Bilton Grange Conservation Group, Harrogate Borough Council staff and councillors.
Paul Casey, the council’s Arboriculture Manager, was on hand to oversee the planting.
Paul said:
The original saplings were supplied by the Woodland Trust and planted by volunteers from the Bilton Grange Conservation Group with support from the council.
The replacement trees were funded from income received from Yorkshire Water as a result of previous drainage works that were undertaken within Willow Woods . The trees cost about £550 to replace.
I would like to congratulate all the volunteers who had the 2000 trees planted in what we think is a record 50 minutes.
They all did a great job.
I would also like to mention that the chairman of the Conservation Group Keith Wilkinson stayed on afterwards and planted a further 30 trees with the help of children who are part of the pupil referral unit.
The incident was unfortunate, especially as these saplings would be difficult to see in the long grass. The council has reviewed its procedures to make sure that such a mistake will not happen again.
